Chapter 56: Smiling Foolishly Out the Window
Jingwu stood up, his mind racing, trying to figure out how to introduce his aunt to her.
After a long pause, he carefully spoke: "This is Xue Wenhui, a ghost I just took in. She will be managing the household affairs in our family from now on, so Aunt, don't worry. I will set up a formation in the house to ensure that she won't affect your luck."
Ruan Chongyue was taken aback when she heard this. After a while, she asked, "What can you do?"
Xue Wenhui immediately stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Replying to Madam, this servant will do the laundry, cook, and clean the courtyard."
Ruan Chongyue nodded. Of course, she believed Awu's words. If she said it wouldn't have any impact, then it definitely wouldn't have any impact.
Moreover, the person in front of him was slender and had a stunning face, looking no different from a living person.
Xue Wenhui glanced at the sky and said, "It's getting late, I'll go to the kitchen to cook."
Ruan Chongyue agreed, but was still a little worried and followed her into the kitchen.
She watched as she skillfully chopped and stir-fried vegetables, calmly preparing four dishes and a soup, and nodded repeatedly in her heart.
She helped carry the dishes to the dining room, and the aroma of the dishes instantly attracted everyone.
"It smells so good!" Shao Che was the first to turn around, looking at the four dishes and soup that looked and smelled delicious, and praised, "You've made such a lavish spread again today?"
“I didn’t burn it, she did,” Ruan Chongyue said, pointing to the person next to her as she put down the bowls and chopsticks.
Jingwu had already spoken to Shao Che, and he immediately greeted him with a smile: "Wen Hui, right? Come sit down and eat with us."
"No, I don't need to eat." Xue Wenhui stood aside and helped set out the bowls and chopsticks.
Shao Che belatedly realized that what was in front of him was a ghost, and ghosts certainly didn't need to eat.
He immediately scratched his head and smiled sheepishly.
At this moment, Jingwu walked in from outside. Seeing that it was time to eat, he sat down and ate with everyone.
The eldest cousin went to Pingjiang Prefecture to prepare for the imperial examination, while the two brothers, Shao Chengyang and Shao Chengrui, stayed at the martial arts school.
Of the large family, only three remained, and the meal was eaten in silence.
After finishing his meal, Jingwu went to the courtyard to digest his food and wait for Xue Wenhui.
A moment later, she came out of the kitchen.
"Is the master waiting for me?"
Jingwu turned to look at her and nodded: "Would you be willing to become my spirit contract ghost?"
Xue Wenhui was taken aback by these words. After thinking about it carefully, she nodded and said, "As long as you protect me, I will naturally listen to you."
Without hesitation, Jingwu quickly formed hand seals and cast a contract into her body, imprinting his mark on her soul.
If she were alone, she wouldn't need a contract. But her uncle's family also lives in the house, so she has to form a contract with them for protection.
Xue Wenhui did not resist. Since she couldn't beat the sorcerer in front of her anyway, she might as well obediently submit and avoid a beating.
A moment later, Jingwu led her to a room in the backyard: "This is your room. If you need anything, just tell me."
"Thank you, sir."
"Don't call me 'sir,' just call me A-Wu," Jing Wu said earnestly, looking up at her.
“That’s not appropriate,” Xue Wenhui immediately retorted. Then, after thinking for a moment, she also felt that using that title was inappropriate, so she said, “How about I call you ‘Miss’?”
Jingwu opened his mouth, but didn't refute: "Whatever you want."
After saying that, she went back to her room to rest.
The next day, after she got up and washed, she walked out of the dining room.
Xue Wenhui immediately brought in warm porridge and steamed buns from the kitchen and placed them on the table: "I only cooked some porridge today, would you like to try it and see how it tastes?"
The aroma of rice filled Jingwu's nostrils, and he immediately took a spoonful: "It's delicious, soft and sticky. Where are my uncle and aunt?"
"They've already eaten and gone to the fields," Xue Wenhui said with a smile as she placed the pickled vegetables in front of her. "What would you like to eat for lunch, young lady? I see there's still a pound of pork in the kitchen; how about some sweet and sour pork?"
"You can even make sweet and sour pork?" Jingwu looked up at her in surprise.
Xue Wenhui nodded and smiled: "My ancestors were imperial chefs in the palace, and we had many cookbooks at home. I was sickly from a young age and couldn't go out, so I often looked at these cookbooks and pondered the different cuisines, and that's how I learned some of them."
Jingwu ate the last mouthful of porridge, thinking to himself that he had really struck gold.
Then, remembering that his aunt had once asked him how to make jujube blossom pastries, he asked, "Do you know how to make jujube blossom pastries?"
"I know, since you want to eat it, I'll make it this afternoon."
Jingwu thought for a moment, then said, "Wait until my aunt comes back before you make it, and teach her how to do it while you're at it."
"Okay." Xue Wenhui gently agreed and then cleared away the bowls and chopsticks on the table.
Jingwu nodded, said a few casual words, and then packed his things to set up his stall on South Street.
She moved the table and chairs and sat down in the original spot.
Then, I saw Aunt Chen at the next stall, hawking her pickled vegetables. Next to her sat a young woman holding a baby in her arms.
Aunt Chen came to me to calculate whether my daughter-in-law would give birth to a boy or a girl, and she found out that my daughter-in-law had fallen and had a premature birth.
"Aunt Chen, it's been a long time." Jingwu greeted her with a smile after sitting down.
"Oh my, little Awu, you've finally set up your stall! I've been waiting for you for days!" Aunt Chen immediately walked over to her, took out ten coins and put them on the table: "Little Awu, please take a look at my grandson. He's definitely being haunted by a ghost."
No sooner had she finished speaking than the young woman sitting next to her came over carrying her child.
Jingwu looked at the newcomer and gestured for her to sit opposite him.
This person was Zhu Hong, Chen Da Niang's daughter-in-law. She held the child and shook him gently, then softly recounted what had happened.
“Just a few days ago, for some reason, the child wouldn’t sleep at night and would just stare out the window and laugh. We didn’t think much of it at first, but after it happened for several days in a row, and after hearing from the elderly people in the neighborhood that the child must have seen something unclean, we immediately brought him to you.”
Jingwu looked at the baby's face in the swaddling clothes and then asked, "Has anyone died near your house?"
Upon hearing this, Aunt Chen immediately slapped her thigh: "Yes, just a few days ago, the family across the street from my house lost a son. Oh dear, what a pity. The seven or eight-year-old child was being mistreated by his stepmother. In the dead of winter, he went to fetch water from the well and accidentally fell in. When they pulled him out, he was already dead. Now, no one in our whole courtyard dares to drink the water from that well anymore."
Jingwu nodded and looked at her, saying, "That child died unjustly and is trapped by the well, unable to be reincarnated. If I'm not mistaken, that well is right outside your window."
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